September 2011 – Syndrome X

The idea behind this issue is to help you identify the ‘criminals’ and arrest them before they commit the crime—because, in case of metabolic syndrome, prevention is not only much better, but much easier too.

The X FactorDuring World War II [WWII], Norway was occupied by Nazi Germany for about five years. Those years forever changed the life of Norwegians. But there was one unexpectedly positive outcome of the occupation: there was a sharp decline in deaths from heart attacks. Why? Because “Norwegians ate less fat, smoked less and were more physically active,” says a research from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology [NTNU].

Not much has changed since the WWII. Even today, the best prescription for good health is nutrition-rich diet and sufficient physical activity, not to mention abstinence from lethal habits like smoking and drinking.

That is our message to all our readers on World Heart Day [September 29]: eat right and get enough exercise. That is also the message of our cover story writers, Scott Isaacs and Frederic J Vagnini, who underscore the magnitude of diet and physical activity in dealing with the cluster of disorders called metabolic syndrome, or syndrome X as it is popularly called.

At Complete Wellbeing, we have given another name to the syndrome: partners-in-crime.

“Part of what makes metabolic syndrome complex is the way in which each of the disorders influences, or ‘aggravates,’ the others. For example, insulin resistance can cause abnormal blood fats [cholesterol], high blood pressure, and high blood sugar” write Isaacs and Vagnini. What makes their advice practical is that they don’t just stop at ‘what’ but also go on to tell you ‘how’.

Armed with powerful insights from this and other stories in the issue, you should find it easy to wipe out all crimes inside your body. The key is to follow the advice.

Manoj Khatri likes to call himself an eternal soul disguised, among many things, as a writer. He is the author of more than 1000 published articles — on business management, philosophy and everything in between. He is a certified counsellor and has addressed thousands of students and parents on exam-stress in public seminars. He is the author of What a thought!, a critically acclaimed book based on powerful ideas of some of the greatest thought leaders. Manoj is Editor and Publisher of Complete Wellbeing.

Our Credo: We believe it is possible to live on a more peaceful planet, where love is valued more than success, where relationships take precedence over possessions, where prevention is trusted more than cure, where peace is more important than victory, where abundance flows to everyone, and fear is conspicuous by its absence. Yes, we believe it is possible to create heaven on Earth. But it’s a choice we must make.